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njali Menon is scripting a difference in Malayalam cinema, quite literally. As writer, filmmaker and producer, Anjali is among the bunch of promising talents ushering in a new sunrise in Malayalam cinema. Born in India and schooled in the Gulf, she is all set for the upcoming release of Ustad Hotel, which in her words is a simple fable about life around... a charming old-world restaurant on Calicut Beach. Anjali Menon scripted for Ustad Hotel when she was carrying. In fact, the opening dialogue in the film also is connected to her predicamentWhat should our child become when he grows up? As Anjali Menon discussed her work and the return to her roots with First Take during her visit to India to promote her latest film, it was evident that a strong sense of realism and the expats nostalgic journey back to the roots could well define her approach to cinema. In fact, her blog offers further evidence of this: I believe life is a screenplay where the plot points are buried well..., she proclaims on the blog. A Commerce graduate from Providence College in Kozhikode, Anjali Menon later completed a Masters

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A promise from Gulf school

in Communication Studies specialising in Television Production from Pune University, India. After a stint with producers of educational communication content that gave her some experience in the genre of documentaries, Anjali moved to the Gulf where she worked on program design for TV channels corporate promos. The highlight in her academic bio is the Masters with honours in film editing, producing and direction from the London International Film School. In 2006, Anjali and Vinod Menon set up Little Films India in Mumbai, India. Anjali Menon has a nostalgic longing for her roots. You realise what you are missing only when you are away from homeland, said the filmmaker who made sure she overcame her limited prowess in the Malayalam language before venturing into cinema. She also seems to have found a great work-life balance. I cannot go to a resort to write scripts as I am committed to my family. I sit down to work on a film amidst all the domestic responsibilities, which include rearing my child who is now nine-monthsJyothi Varma old. Her recent films include Manjadikkuru which she scripted and directed and the upcoming Ustad Hotel with her script and Anwar Rasheeds direction. Anjali also directed the segment Happy Journey in Kerala Cafe. Ask her how she feels to be a film maker from the fairer sex and she dismisses the gender differential. There is absolutely no difference between men and women film-makers. But I guess as women, we tend to have a much more balanced view about things and an ability to see things from a totally different perspective that most men may miss, she said. In fact, she believes that it is this womens perspective in her storytelling that has helped audiences to connect with her films. Anjali says the two Malayalam movies that touched the lives of Malayali expats in the Gulf were Gharshom and Varavelpu. She also believes that Manjadikkuru strikes a chord with the expat crowd. In the case of Ustad Hotel, director Anwar Rasheed had given the film a totally different dimension and she is extremely happy about it. Anjalis next is a light romcom that could be ready by the end of the year. n

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